The Virginia Gazette

Our Readers, in the following Memoir of the Life of the Honourable Mr. HASTINGS, may see as singular a Character, in its Way, as any that ever existed.

THE Honourable Mr. William Hastings, of the Woodlands, in the County of Southampton, was second Son of Francis Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon. The extraordinary Character of this Gentleman, here recorded, was drawn up by Anthony Ashley Cooper, the first Earl of Shaftesbury, and Lord Chancellor, and is extracted from his Manuscript. In the Year 1680 lived Mr. Hastings, by his Quality, Son, Brother, and Uncle, to the Earls of Huntingdon. He was peradventure Original in our Age, or rather the Copy of our ancient Nobility, in hunting, not in warlike Times. He was very low, very strong, and very active, of a reddish flaxen Hair; his Clothes green Cloth, and never all worth, when new, five Pounds. His House was perfectly of the old Fashion, in the Midst of a large Park well stocked with Deer, and near the House Rabbits to serve his Kitchen, many Fish Ponds, great Store of Wood and Timber, a Bowling Green in it, long, but narrow, and full of high Ridges, it being never levelled since it was ploughed; they used round Sand Bowls; and it had a Banqueting House like a Stand, a large One, built in a Tree. He kept all Manner of Sport Hounds, that run Buck, Fox, Hare, Otter, and Badger; and Hawks, long and short winged. He had all Sorts of Nets for Fish; he had a Walk in the New Forest, and the Manor of Christchurch; this last supplied him with red Deer, Sea and River Fish. And indeed all his Neighbours Grounds and Royalties were free to him, who bestowed all his Time on these Sports but what he borrowed to caress his Neighbours Wives and Daughters; there being not a Woman, in all his Walks, of the Degree of a Yeoman's Wife, and under the Age of forty, but it was extremely her Fault if he was not intimately acquainted with her. This made him very popular, always speaking kindly to the Husband, Brother, or Father; who was, to Boot, very welcome to his House whenever he came. There he found Beef, Pudding, and small Beer, in great Plenty, a House not so neatly kept as to shame him or his dirty Shoes; the great Hall strewed with Marrowbones, full of Hawks Perches, Hounds, Spaniels, and Terriers; the upper Side of the Hall hung with the Fox Skins of this and the last Year's killing, here and there a Polecat intermixed; Gamekeepers and Hunters Poles in great Abundance. The Parlour was a large Room; as properly furnished : On a great Hearth, paved with Brick, lay some Terriers, and the choicest Hounds and Spaniels; seldom but two of the great Chairs had Litters of young Cats in them, which were not to be disturbed; he having always three or four attending him at Dinner, and a little white round stick of fourteen Inches long lying by his Trencher, that he might defend such Meat as he had no Mind to part with to them. The Windows, which were very large, served for Places to lay his Arrows, Cross Bows, Stone Bows, and other such like Accoutrements; the Corners of the Room full of the best chose hunting and hawking Poles; an Oyster Table at the lower End, which was of constant Use, twice a Day, all the Year round, for he never failed to eat Oysters, before Dinner and Supper, through all Seasons; the neighbouring Town of Poole supplied him with them. The upper Part of the Room had two small Tables and a Desk, on the one Side of which was a Church Bible, and on the other the Book of Martyrs. On the Tables were Hawks Hoods, Bells and such like; two or three old green Hats, with their Crowns thrust in, so as to hold ten or a Dozen Eggs, which were of a Pheasant Kind of Poultry he took much Care of and fed himself. Tables, Dice, Cards, and Boxes, were not wanting. In the Hole of the Desk were Store of Tobacco Pipes, that had been used. On one Side of this End of the Room was the Door of a Closet, wherein stood the strong Beer and the Wine, which never came thence but in single Glass, that being the Rule of the House exactly observed ; for he never exceeded in Drink, or permitted it. On the other Side was the Door into an old Chapel, not used for Devotion. The Pulpit, as the safest Place, was never wanting of a cold Chine of Beef, Venison Pasty, Gammon of Bacon, or great Apple Pie, with a thick Crust, extremely baked. His Table cost him not much, though it was good to eat at. His Sports supplied all but Beef and Mutton; except on Fridays, when he had the best of Salt Fish (as well as other Fish) he could get; and this was the Day his Neighbours of best Quality most visited him. He never wanted a London Pudding, and always sung it in, with My part Eyes therein a, He drank a Glass or two at Meals, very often Syrup of Gilliflowers in his Sack ; and always a Tun Glass, without Feet, stood by him, holding a Pint of small Beer, which he often stirred with Rosemary. He was wellnatured, but soon angry, calling his Servants Bastards and cuckoldy Knaves; in one of which he often spoke Truth to his own Knowledge, and sometimes in both, though of the same Man. He lived to be a Hundred, never lost his Eyesight, but always wrote and read without Spectacles, and got on Horseback without Help. Until past fourscore he rid to the Death of a Stag as well as any.